Quote of the week by S&D MEP Evin Incir, author of the European Parliament’s first anti-racism report:
“Racism is on the rise in all around the European Union. If we do not act, we give racism fertile ground to grow and spread. Racism is not an opinion. It is a human rights violation. It is no coincidence that rising levels of racism are accompanied by the rise of the far right in power in Europe, be it in Italy, Hungary or Sweden. We condemn the far right for its racist discourse, for its scapegoating of religious and ethnic minorities and for trying to polarise our societies and divide communities. Now more than ever, we need to be extra vigilant to ensure everyone in our society can have the same opportunities in the labour market, justice and education. Racism kills, deprives people of their human rights and it prevents society being able to benefit from all our citizens competences and experience.”
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President Iratxe García Pérez will be on mission in the Western Balkans. Our president will hold high level meetings in Skopje on Tuesday and Tirana on Wednesday, and re-affirm our Group’s leading role in advocating for the Western Balkans’ European future, and support the great efforts made by governments in North Macedonia and Albania in their accession path to the EU.
For any press inquiries, please contact the President’s spokesperson.
Coming up
The current crisis with record high energy and food prices require immediate action to support people and businesses. This is why, this week, our Group has endorsed the #BringTheBillsDown campaign to reduce the financial burden of families and small and medium sized businesses all over Europe. Our Winter Solidarity Package brings a series of concrete solutions to cope with pertinent social and economic challenges.
Negotiations on the EU Budget 2023 are set to conclude in the following days. Follow us for reactions over the weekend. If the trilogue concludes with an agreement, it will be then made official with a vote by the MEPs during a meeting of the European Parliament committee on budgets.
On Monday, 14 November, members in the COVI committee will discuss the impact of the pandemic on the labour market. Covid-19 affected the labour market in many different ways and exacerbated already existing challenges. We have always fought for workers’ rights and fairer working conditions. In this debate, our priorities are “essential workers” in various sectors - from nurses and carers to truck drivers and teachers - at the frontline of the pandemic. We are also calling for a more resilient labour market and more focus on mental health, work-life balance, and gender inequalities.
On 15 November we join PES Women in marking the European Unequal Pay Day. Check out and share our video on the issue.
Two days later, on 17 November, our MEPs will be voting on the Women on Boards Directive. Follow for updates.
As the COP27 unfolds in Egypt, our Group has been calling on global leaders to adopt concrete measures to implement the Paris Agreement. The economic and energy crises caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to postpone the adoption of firm actions aimed at stopping global warming. We will send a delegation to the Sharm el-Sheikh Climate Change Conference led by Vice President, Mohammed Chahim, and composed of Delara Burkhardt and Javi López. Details here.
22 October, 2022 marks the second anniversary of the constitutional court ruling introducing a near-total ban on abortion in Poland, which so far claimed lives of at least 6 women. In order to commemorate the victims of this barbaric law, on Wednesday, 16 November, our Group will organise an exchange of views with family members and lawyers of women who died because they were deprived of lifesaving abortion, as well as with representatives from Polish NGOs active on this issue. The following day, there will be a meeting with members of the committee on women’s rights. The event will take place around the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November) and is linked to the UN Campaign, ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’.
Our members will be preparing for the upcoming Strasbourg plenary session. On the agenda – debates on the system of own resources in the EU, the Digital Decade Policy programme, New Strategy for Enlargement and the final vote on Women on board directive. Our Group has also put forward a request for a debate on the illegal use of spyware software in Europe, particularly in the light of the increasing scandal in Greece.
Events
On November 16 we are proud to welcome the yearly Silver Rose Awards ceremony. Since the year 2000, SOLIDAR organises the progressive civil society award in the European Parliament, with the support of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament and the Party of European Socialists (PES). For the 2022 edition, the awards will be on the topics of Peace & Common Security and Lifetime Achievement. Find more information about the programme of the event here.
And don’t forget to stay updated on all our initiatives and reactions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and TikTok!
